Nepeta plant named ‘Purple Haze’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct form of  Nepeta  plant characterized by very long inflorescences with densely packed violet flowers, a decumbent, well branched habit, an extremely long bloom time, clean-looking, grey green, pubescent foliage, and excellent vigor.

Botanical denomination: Nepeta spp.

Variety designation: ‘Purple Haze’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Nepeta, given the name, ‘Purple Haze’. Nepeta is in the family Lamiaceae. This plant originated from a planned breeding cross between Nepeta tuberosa, as the seed parent, and Nepeta govaniana, as the pollen parent. This cultivar was selected for its low growing habit, long flowering time, long, dense, purple blue inflorescences, and clean attractive look. It is an ideal plant for a sunny border in full sun. There are no similar cultivars on the market.

Compared to the seed parent, Nepeta tuberosa, an unpatented plant, the new cultivar has much longer bloom time, longer inflorescences, more stems from the crown, and a more spreading habit.

Compared to the pollen parent, Nepeta govaniana, an unpatented plant, the new cultivar is spreading rather than upright and has violet flowers rather than white.

Nepeta ‘Purple Haze’ is uniquely distinguished by:

-   -   1. very long inflorescences with densely packed violet flowers,     -   2. decumbent, well branched habit,     -   3. extremely long bloom time,     -   4. clean-looking, grey green, pubescent foliage, and     -   5. excellent vigor.

The new variety has been reproduced only by asexual propagation (cuttings and micropropagation). Each of the progeny exhibits identical characteristics to the original plant. Asexual propagation by cuttings and micropropagation using terminal and lateral shoots as done in Canby, Oreg., shows that the foregoing characteristics and distinctions come true to form and are established and transmitted through succeeding propagations. The present invention has not been evaluated under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary with variations in environment without a change in the genotype of the plant.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a one year old Nepeta Purple Haze growing in a hanging basket in the summer in Canby, Oreg.

FIG. 2 shows a two year old Nepeta ‘Purple Haze’ in bloom growing in full sun in the trial bed in May in Canby, Oreg.

DETAILED PLANT DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of the new Nepeta cultivar based on observations of a two-year-old specimen grown outside in the ground in the trial beds in Canby, Oreg. in May. The color descriptions are all based on The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 5^(th) edition.

-   Plant:     -   -   Type.—Herbaceous perennial.         -   Form.—Decumbent, clumping ground cover.         -   Cold Hardiness.—USDA Zone 6-10.         -   Size.—Grows to 64 cm wide and 28 cm high.         -   Vigor.—Excellent.         -   Stem number.—12 stems from the crown.         -   Stem.—Decumbent, grows to 22 cm long and 5 mm wide (at the             base), internodes grow to 5 cm long, pubescent, Yellow Green             147D tinted Greyed Purple 187B in sun, square in cross             section.         -   Rooting.—Plants root easily from stem cuttings. -   Leaf:     -   -   Type.—Simple, aromatic.         -   Arrangement.—Opposite.         -   Shape.—Ovate.         -   Venation.—Pinnate.         -   Margins.—Crenate.         -   Apex.—Obtuse.         -   Base.—Auriculate, clasping on upper leaves.         -   Blade size.—Grows to 5 cm long and 2.7 cm wide.         -   Surface texture.—Pubescent on both sides.         -   Petiole.—On basal leaves, grows to 8 mm, pubescent, Green             N138C.         -   Leaf color.—Topside Green N138B, bottom side Green N138C. -   Inflorescence:     -   -   Type.—Terminal many flowered dense verticillaster in             opposite stalked to sessile cymes.         -   Number of flowers.—Opposite cymes in up to 18 rings of 9 to             40 flowers per cyme.         -   Size of inflorescence.—Grows to 42 cm long and 5.5 cm wide.         -   Peduncle.—Grows to 10 cm long and 5 mm wide, pubescent,             Yellow Green 147D tinted Greyed Purple 187B in sun.         -   Pedicel.—Sessile.         -   Bloom period.—April to October in Canby, Oreg. -   Flower bud:     -   -   Size.—10 mm long and 3 mm wide at the widest point prior to             opening.         -   Description.—Irregular teardrop, flattened dorsally.         -   Surface.—Pubescent.         -   Color.—Violet Blue 90B. -   Flower:     -   -   Type.—Zygomorphic, hermaphroditic.         -   Shape.—Bilabiate.         -   Corolla description.—12 mm long and to 9 mm wide; pubescent             outside and glabrous inside with hairs lining inside of the             throat; tube 5 mm long and Violet Blue 97D; throat Violet             86D on outside, inside Violet 85D with small and large spots             of Violet 86A, 3 mm long and 2 mm wide, flattened dorsally;             upper lip 2.5 mm wide and 3 mm long, two lobed, reflexed,             Violet 86D inside and out; lower lip 5 mm wide and 7 mm             long, slightly cupped, Violet 86D on the two lateral lobes             and Violet 86B on the larger lower lobe inside and out.         -   Calyx description.—Funnel form, 5 lobed, 9 mm long and 2 mm             wide, lobes narrow, tips acuminate, margin entire, villous             outside, glabrous inside, Yellow Green 147C at base to lobes             Greyed Purple 187A.         -   Pistil description.—1, 11 mm long, ovary 1 mm long and             Yellow Green 147D; style 10 mm long, Blue Violet 91C at base             to Violet 86C at stigma, stigma Violet 86A.         -   Stamen description.—4, sterile, filaments 2 mm long and             Violet 85C, anthers 1 mm long and Greyed Brown 199D, pollen             none.         -   Fragrance.—Slight.         -   Lastingness.—A spike blooms for about 6 weeks on the plant. -   Fruit and seed: None. -   Pests and diseases: Nepeta are known to be susceptible to southern     blight and various fungal leaf spots, crown rot, and fungal root     rot. The new cultivar has shown no problems in Canby, Oreg. 

1. A new and distinct form of Nepeta plant substantially as shown and described. 